An unpredictable race in San Marino saw two British riders standing next to Marc Marquez on the podium.
MotoGP San Marino Race Report
Something remarkable happened at the San Marino GP. In conditions even more changeable than the British summer, it was Brits Bradley Smith and Scott Redding who completed the podium, following Marc Marquez in first.
Our instincts told us that the great British performance at Silverstone was just the beginning for our homegrown talent…and we were happy to be proved right! This was the first time since 1979 that two British riders have stood on the podium together in the MotoGP. Barry Sheene and Tom Herron were the last to achieve this particular feat in Venezuela – quite an act to follow!
Bradley Smith took second place after a masterful and daring performance, regaining 5th place in the championship. He stayed out on the track with slick tyres all the way through the race, whilst all the other riders pitted and changed to wet tyres. He was 6th at the end of the opening lap, which gave him the confidence to stay out and push on.
Smith then had an incredible seesaw of a race, falling from 6th to 21st as conditions changed and his tyres couldn’t keep up. In the end, his determination paid off when the track dried out and he deftly weaved his way through the pack. Eventually, he made his way to podium position on lap 20: his second podium in the premier class and his debut second place finish.
After gaining the best result of his MotoGP career, Smith had this to say: “I am thrilled with this finish as I feel that I earned it today even though it was a big gamble!…I kept saying to myself that luck favours the brave which motivated me even further and here I am! My race position kept going up and to finally come home in 2nd is very special…this result is one of my greatest and it’s a truly emotional moment.”
Scott Redding also took some serious risks at the MotoGP San Marino. The EG 0,0 Marc VDS rider found himself holding a champagne bottle after his gamble paid off – this was the first podium of his career and an incredible achievement for the 22-year-old. This victory wasn’t without drama, as he ran onto the gravel on lap six and visited the pits twice.
Though the outlook was bleak, Redding and his team calculated perfectly, as he switched to wet tyres and back again to slicks at exactly the right time. By the time he was back on slicks, he came up to fourth with seven laps remaining. He easily passed Loris Baz for third place on lap 25, setting a charging pace and opening up a sensational gap of almost 8 seconds.
The triumphant young Brit commented: “Where do you start after a race like that? When it started to rain I knew I had nothing to lose and pushed hard on the slicks. But I pushed too much and couldn’t stop the bike before I entered the gravel and crashed. I thought that was race over…Then I’m in third and I certainly didn’t expect that when I woke up this morning. It’s a great feeling for me and especially the team because they have deserved this for sticking by me all season.” Well done Scott, EG 0,0 Marc VDS will be sorry to lose you next year!
In other MotoGP San Marino news…
Oh yes, we almost forgot the small matter of Marc Marquez‘s win! Last year’s champion proved himself again by winning the race, with a huge gap of of 7.288 seconds separating him and the two ecstatic Brits who filled the rest of the podium. This was his 23rd MotoGP victory and his fourth of the season, giving us a taster of the fire he’ll undoubtedly bring to next year’s MotoGP. After all the ups and downs and all the experience he’s gained, the 2015 season has given Marquez the stamina to be a serious contender in 2016.
Marquez said: “It was a very strange race but I’m happy with the end result…The team informed me of the situation with the pit board and helped me decide when to come in to change bikes, and I have to thank them…even though our title chances are slim, so our target to the end of the year remains; the more wins, the better!” We know that Marquez’s goal has always been to win and keep winning… Can he do it again on September 27th in Aragon?
What about Valentino Rossi? This was his first finish off the podium this season, and that seems like a disappointing result for a man who is aiming to conquer the motorcycle racing world for a 10th time this year. You might think that fifth place is a poor showing, not worthy of the world-famous Valentino Rossi…
Hold on, Rossi fans! Those San Marino clouds had a silver lining for the Doctor, who took advantage of Lorenzo’s crash to gain a 23 point lead over his teammate. He now sits at the top of the table with just 5 races to go. He’s going to have to hold on tight, though, because Lorenzo’s roaring engines aren’t likely to fall silent again this season!
Jorge Lorenzo certainly looked like a credible threat this weekend. He wasn’t daunted by a wet start, setting a blistering pace which left Rossi floundering. When the white flags came out, Lorenzo pushed on with Marquez behind, determined to gain some valuable points. While most riders fled to the pits to change to wet tyres, the champions remained locked in their battle, knowing just how vital every race is at this stage.
Unfortunately, Lorenzo’s race was over after just 8 laps as he crashed out on turn 15. He bemoaned his troubles in wet weather, which have been his downfall before. He said: “Two races with bad luck in a row, because the circumstances were wet and abnormal…I think I’ve been unlucky this year in general, but especially these last two races…but all is not lost. If I win all the coming races I can still become the World Champion and it wouldn’t matter in what position Valentino would finish in.”
Fighting words from Lorenzo, but it’s anyone’s guess what will happen in the last 5 races. On a dry day, Lorenzo may well storm back to victory on September 27th in Aragon. Or perhaps Marquez will steal pole position and leave the Yamaha riders fighting over scraps. Rossi still has a lot to lose – will he be looking over his shoulder, or staring at someone’s back tyre? Find out in our next race report!
Take a look back at the MotoGP drama…
We’ve got coverage of every 2015 MotoGP race in our Racing News archive, so click on the link to see what’s happened so far. Leave us a comment below with your thoughts on the season so far…and your hopes for the races ahead!
Photos courtesy of www.motogp.com
